KUALA LUMPUR: Allegations that Pakatan Harapan (PH) government could not carry out reforms as it was led by a non-reformist leader is unfounded and unfair, said Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
In defending his remarks, Mukhriz said this was because all decisions made back then were made collectively.
"Although the then prime minister heads a cabinet of ministers, all important decisions were presented during cabinet meetings and decisions were collectively made.
"As such, everyone (in the cabinet) was responsible and we cannot blame only the prime minister when we also had a deputy prime minister, ministers and their deputies," he said.
Mukhriz told this to reporters after attending the Malaysia-Thailand International Halal Food Festival at a shopping mall in Setiawangsa here today
The Jerlun Member of Parliament was responding to a question on remarks by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who alleged that the PH government could not carry out reforms fully as it was led by a "non-reformist" leader.
Anwar during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok recently said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had returned to racial politics which ran contrary to PH's multiracial agenda.
Mukhriz also reminded Anwar that his statement contradicted the PH leadership's statement when the coalition was in power.
"Back then, Lim Guan Eng himself admitted that the coalition's achievements in fulfilling the promises based on its manifesto had been encouraging," he said, adding that the coalition could not achieve 100 per cent, as they were only in power for 22 months.
Mukhriz explained that when Dr Mahathir was the prime minister for the first and second time, he had a reformist stance.
"This can be seen through practices that already existed within the government that needed to be improved and changed, were all implemented by him."
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir in response to Anwar's statement blamed the simple majority obtained by PH during in 14th General Election (GE14) for the failure of the then ruling federal government to fully carry out its reforms agenda.
The Langkawi Member of Parliament during the 'Hard Talk with Dr Mahathir' session said despite having a reforms agenda, PH could not proceed with implementing Constitutional reforms since the political pact did not secure two-thirds majority in the 2018 general election.
Dr Mahathir said although PH had big dreams for reforms, the political pact did not have the capability and requirements needed to execute the reforms.
Meanwhile, whether Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) would work with Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), should GTA's negotiation to collaborate with PH in the 15th general election (GE15) fail, Mukhriz said the coalition was open to any form of discussion with other parties including Muda.
Mukhriz, who is GTA pro-tem deputy chairman, said Dr Mahathir had previously mentioned that GTA would contest at least 120 seats.
"Therefore, there are 102 seats that we may not be contesting. (And) maybe Muda would be interested in those.
"I would think that collaboration with GTA is the most natural thing for Muda than wanting to be with PH.
"Muda being in PH, I'm not so sure whether it adds any value, because they may contest in seats that were meant for DAP and PKR."